THE 

OUTLINES  OF  A  PLAN 

FOR  ESTABLISHING  IN  NEW-YORK, 
▲24 

ACADEMY  AND  INSTITUTION 

OF  THE 

FINE  ARTS, 

ON  SUCH  A  SCALE  AS  IS  REQUIRED  BY  THE  IMPORTANCE  OF  THE  SUBJECT,  AND 
THE  WANTS  OF  A  GREAT  AND  GROWING  CITY,  THE  CONSTANT 
RESORT  OF  AN   IMMENSE  NUMBER  OF  STRANGERS 
FROM  ALL  PARTS  OF  THE  WORLD.  THE 
RESULT  OF  SOME  THOUGHTS  ON 
A  FAVOURITE  SUBJECT. 

BY  ITHIEL  TOWN. 


NEW-YORK: 
GEORGE  F.  HOPKINS  &  SON,  Printers, 
No.  44  Nassau-street. 


1835. 


Avery  Architectural  and  Fine  Arts  Library 
Gift  of  Seymour  B.  Durst  Old  York  Library 


lEx  Htbrifl 


SEYMOUR  DURST 


When  you  leave,  please  leave  this  hook 

Because  it  has  heen  said 
"Ever'thing  comes  t'  him  who  waits 

Except  a  loaned  book." 


THE 


OUTLINES  OF  A  PLAN 

FOR  ESTABLISHING  IN  NEW-YORK, 
AN 

ACADEMY  AND  INSTITUTION 

OF  THE 

FINE  ARTS, 

ON  SUCH  A  SCALE  AS  IS  REQUIRED  BY  THE  IMPORTANCE  OF  THE  SUBJECT,  AND 
THE  WANTS  OF  A  GREAT  AND  GROWING  CITY,  THE  CONSTANT 
RESORT  OF  AN  IMMENSE  NUMBER  OF  STRANGERS 
FROM  ALL  PARTS  OF  THE  WORLD.  THE 
RESULT  OF  SOME  THOUGHTS  ON 
A  FAVOURITE  SUBJECT. 


BY  ITHIEL  TOWN. 


NEW-YORK: 
GEORGE  F.  HOPKINS  &  SON,  Printers, 
No.  44  Nassau-street. 


1835. 


ADVERTISEMENT. 


When  it  is  considered  how  easy  it  would  be  for  gentlemen  of 
wealth  and  taste  in  this  great  and  enterprising  city,  to  raise  a  capital 
in  transferable  shares  of  four  or  five  hundred  thousand  dollars,  in  the 
course  of  five  years,  and  to  invest  it  in  the  most  judicious  manner  in 
Europe,  during  the  same  period  of  time,  in  purchasing  such  impor- 
tant works  of  art  for  establishing  a  National  Gallery  or  Institution  of 
Fine  Arts,  as  would  at  any  time  be  worth  the  cost,  even  in  the 
country  where  purchased ;  and,  that  such  works  of  vertu,  would  be 
of  double  the  value  in  our  country,  of  such  cost,  because  of  our  great 
need  of  them,  and  the  consequent  benefit  which  would  thereby  be 
imparted  to  many  branches  of  manufactures  in  consequence  ;  — and 
when,  also,  it  is  considered  how  great  a  source  of  intellectual  amuse- 
ment of  a  high  and  noble  kind,  would  be  derived  from  such  a  collec- 
tion, separate  from  such  advantages  to  our  arts  and  manufactures, 
not  only  to  our  own  citizens  of  every  class,  but  to  the  immense 
number  of  persons  who  constantly  visit  New  York  for  business  or 
pleasure ;  and  that  so  far  from  operating  as  a  tax  or  incumbrance 
upon  the  contributors  to  such  an  increasing  collection  on  the  arts,  it 
would,  under  judicious  management,  be  a  self-increasing  collection 
in  its  value  and  interest,  as  well  as  productive  of  usefulness  and 
pleasure.  Directly  or  indirectly,  most  persons  in  our  widely  ex- 
tended country,  many  of  whom  visit  the  city  annually,  would  not 
only  be  pleased,  gratified,  and  benefitted  themselves,  but  would 
impart  the  same  pleasure  and  usefulness  to  those  among  whom  they 
reside.  In  fine,  when  all  the  circumstances  are  taken  into  view, 
especially  the  great  beneficial  effects  that  would  be  rendered  to 
all  branches  of  our  arts  and  manufactures,  in  relation  to  taste 
and  beauty  of  execution,  as  well  as  the  good  effect  in  forming 
a  suitable  standard  or  judgement  for  the  appreciating  and  enjoy- 
ment of  correct  taste  and  merit  in  the  manufacture  of  all  neces- 
sary articles  for  use  or  luxury,  is  it  not  strange,  that  so  small  a 
part  of  the  wealth  of  this  opulent  and  growing  city  should  not  have 


4 


been  ere  this  time  appropriated  to  this  important  and  elegant  subject, 
as  readily  as  to  so  many  others  of  far  less  importance,  both  as 
respects  the  present  good  effect  and  the  future  fame  of  the  city  in 
history  ?  May  the  artists,  the  mechanics,  the  manufacturers,  as  well 
as  all  other  classes  of  citizens,  not  look  to  each  other  to  co-operate 
jointly  under  one  or  two  charters  on  a  liberal  scale,  for  placing  the 
cause  of  the  Fine  Arts  on  that  standing,  which  other  less  important 
subjects  have  for  a  long  time  received,  either  by  some  such  plan  as 
the  following  pages  exhibit  the  outline  of,  or  as  may  result  from  some 
modification  or  improvement  of  this  plan  into  a  better  one  ?  In  hope 
of  such  a  result,  I  will  submit  the  scheme  to  all  lovers  of  the  arts, 
with  all  its  imperfections,  hoping  most  sincerely,  and  but  little  doubt- 
ing, that  something  will  soon  be  done  worthy  of  the  largest,  most 
liberal,  and  most  wealthy  city  in  America. 

ITHIEL  TOWN. 

New  York,  May  20th,  1835. 


5 


A  Plan  for  the  establishment  of  an  Academy  and  Institution 
of  the  Fine  Arts,  under  the  title  of  u  The  United  States 
Academy  and  Institution  of  the  Fine  Arts." 

The  general  plan  should  consist  of  two  branches,  distinct  in 
all  respects  as  to  the  entire  control,  government,  and  own- 
ership of  property  —  each  to  be  mutually  accommodated  by 
the  other  in  such  manner  that  the  benefits  of  all  the  talents 
and  property  of  both  institutions  may,  for  all  important  pur- 
poses, be  as  fully  and  as  advantageously  enjoyed  by  artists, 
connoisseurs,  amateurs,  and  the  public,  as  could  possibly  be 
done,  were  it  practicable,  (which  I  believe  may  well  be 
doubted,)  to  unite  in  one  well-governed  institution,  every 
department  of  such  a  national  school  and  repository  for  the 
fine  arts,  in  the  most  perfect  and  satisfactory  manner,  with- 
out the  possibility  of  any  obstruction  or  difficulty  in  the  man- 
agement and  control  of  it.  All  past  experience  seems  to 
show  most  conclusively,  (Philadelphia  and  New- York  in  their 
history  of  the  fine  arts,  might  be  referred  to  as  a  proof  of  the 
position,)  that  a  body  of  artists,  pursuing  their  profession 
with  the  requisite  ambition  and  pride  of  the  art,  and  the 
other  part  of  a  community,  still  much  more  numerous,  com- 
prising connoisseurs,  amateurs,  merchants,  and  all  other  pro- 
fessions and  trades,  —  wrho  would,  from  their  numbers  and 
wealth,  be  able  to  raise  a  large  amount  of  stock  for  the  pur- 
chase of  all  the  requisite  works  of  art,  for  an  institution,  etc. 
cannot  agree  harmoniously,  for  any  great  length  of  time 
together,  either  in  the  choice  of  officers,  mode  cf  government, 
or  the  manner  of  estimating  their  talents  as  artists,  against 
the  property  or  stock  of  the  shareholders.  It  may  be  safely 
repeated,  that  this  kind  of  harmony  cannot  subsist  long  enough, 
and  free  enough  from  difficulties,  to  ensure  any  valuable  pur- 
pose whatever,  for  much  length  of  time.   This  position  being 


6 


admitted,  as  I  think  it  must  be,  what  next  presents  itself?  It 
is  the  most  obvious  and  imperative  fact,  that,  in  a  new  coun- 
try like  ours,  neither  can  the  arts  flourish,  or  artists  be  edu- 
cated, without  going  abroad  for  instruction,  to  be  much  above 
mediocrity;  (and  what  is  still  worse,  perhaps,)  nor  can  that 
knowledge  and  taste  be  diffused  into  the  minds  of  a  commu- 
nity, which  is  necessary  either  to  encourage  the  arts,  or  give 
employment  to  artists,  by  a  demand  for  their  works,  without 
an  extensive  library  relating  to  the  fine  arts  with  their  vari- 
ous kindred  branches,  extensive  collections  of  engravings  of 
the  best  masters,  a  collection  of  ancient  and  modern  sculp- 
ture and  bass-reliefs,  of  paintings,  ancient  and  modern,  also, 
of  coins,  medals,  and  various  specimens  and  relics  of  anti- 
quity, armour,  etc.  etc.  But  it  may  well  be  said  that  any 
near  approach  to  a  respectable  and  adequate  collection  of 
such  valuable  works  of  art,  as  here  enumerated,  would  cost, 
at  least,  from  $300,000  to  $500,000;  if  so,  can  any  body  of 
artists  themselves  make  such  a  collection,  and  establish  an 
institution,  which,  together  with  their  own  well-regulated 
schools,  lectures,  etc.,  shall  present  to  our  new  country  the 
means  of  educating  artists,  as  well  as  the  diffusing  of  taste 
and  knowledge  of  this  kind,  into  the  minds  of  the  community 
at  large,  to  enable  them  to  appreciate  the  arts  ?  Most  cer- 
tainly not !  no  one  will  pretend  it.  How  then  is  such  an 
object  to  be  accomplished  in  our  country,  at  some  proper 
point,  the  most  accessible  to  the  artists  of  the  whole  country, 
so  as  thereby  to  spread  its  influence  and  important  use  to  all 
our  manufacturing  and  mechanic  arts  ?  It  requires  a  large 
capital:  the  artists  have  it  not  themselves,  nor  can  they 
agree  to  join  in  the  same  institution  with  those  who  have  it  — 
they  will  not  brook  for  a  moment,  the  idea  of  money  and  its 
consequent  influence  and  power  in  the  government  of  such 
an  institution. 

One  way  certainly  remains  which  is  practicable  and  easily 
accomplished,  if  it  were  commenced  and  pursued  in  the  right 
manner,  either  in  Philadelphia,  New-York,  Boston,  or  Balti- 


7 


more,  —  viz  :  —  to  obtain  a  charter  for  such  an  institution  as 
described,  with  a  capital  in  transferable  stock,  of  $300,000  to 
$500,000,  in  shares  of  $25  each,  to  be  paid  in,  in  five  annual 
instalments,  with  certain  privileges  in  the  use  of  the  institution 
in  proportion  to  the  amount  paid,  instead  of  a  dividend,  which 
should  in  no  case  ever  be  made,  nor  the  stock  be  divided.  Per- 
sons more  able  would  take  more  shares,  to  obtain  the  necessary 
or  enlarged  privilege  for  their  families,  or  their  less  able  friends 
and  relations  —  a  large  sum  might  be  raised  in  this  manner, 
much  of  which  in  small  sums,  that  might  be  paid  by  almost 
any  artist  or  citizen,  to  whom,  in  return,  the  use  of  the  institu- 
tion would  be  of  great  importance,  and,  in  many  instances, 
much  greater  to  the  public,  by  this  means,  than  the  effect  of 
such  influence  upon  more  wealthy  men  might  be. 

Such  an  institution  being  established,  with  suitable  build- 
ings, not  only  for  containing  the  works  of  art  of  all  kinds,  but 
having  suitable  halls,  exhibition-rooms,  school-rooms,  etc., 
suited  to  the  wants  of  the  artists,  both  in  their  public  capacity, 
and  in  their  private  wants  for  their  regular  business,  for  which 
public  rooms  they  may  either  pay  reasonable  rents,  or  give  in 
exchange  such  rights  and  privileges  in  their  exhibitions,  etc. 
as  would  be  an  equivalent.  By  such  mutual  arrangements  of 
accommodation  as  might  be  made  between  the  two  bodies, 
each  institution  would  have  all  the  advantages  of  the  other, 
and  yet  no  connexion  whatever  in  their  government  or  own- 
ership of  property.  The  artists  might  regulate  all  their  own 
schools,  exhibitions,  and  election  of  members,  and  would  have 
such  an  amount  of  property,  or  works  of  art,  as  they  might 
find  convenient,  or  immediately  useful,  which  would  be  under 
their  own  entire  control  —  the  other  institution  would  in  like 
manner  have  their  real  estate,  extensive  library,  and  other 
works  of  art  to  any  extent,  under  their  own  charter,  organiza- 
tion and  control — many  other  minor  appendages  and  facil- 
ities to  these  two  main  institutions  may  be  added,  to  promote 
the  general  object ;  but  I  will  now  state  my  ideas  more  at 
length  of  each  one,  and  of  their  connexion  with  each  other. 


Having  before  adopted  the  title  of"  The  United  States  Aca- 
demy and  Institution  of  the  Fine  Arts,"  for  the  two  institutions 
when  harmoniously  joined  together,  lending  their  aid,  talents 
and  influence  to  each  other,  by  mutual  agreement  for  their 
joint  accommodation,  without  the  possibility  of  rivalship,  envy, 
or  any  other  interference  on  the  part  of  passion  or  interest. 

I  would  particularly  state,  that  the  Academy  should  be, 
as  its  name  imports,  a  school,  composed  of  academicians, 
honorary  members,  and  students  in  the  arts  of  design  and 
imitation  —  the  academicians  to  have  the  entire  control  and 
management  of  all  its  affairs  in  relation  to  government  and 
property  —  to  elect  their  own  and  the  honorary  members  ; 
appoint  a  president  to  preside  evor  them,  a  foreign  corres- 
ponding secretary,  a  home  corresponding  secretary,  and  a 
secretary  to  the  meetings,  etc.,  of  the  academy  ;  a  vice  presi- 
dent, a  treasurer  ;  also  professors  and  lecturers  for  all  neces- 
sary branches,  and  to  regulate  the  admission  of  students  to  the 
schools,  and  the  public  to  the  lectures  ;  also  to  establish  and 
regulate  one  or  two  annual  exhibitions  of  living  artists,  and  any 
and  every  other  particular  relating  to  the  members,  the  acad- 
emy, its  schools  and  its  exhibitions. 

The  other  great  branch,  here  stated,  "  The  Institution" 
should  be  chartered  with  a  transferable  stock  as  stated,  of 
$300,000  to  8500,000,  in  shares  of  825  each,  payable  in  five 
annual  instalments,  each  share  to  be  entitled  to  a  vote,  when 
paid  in,  and,  in  all  cases,  every  twenty-five  dollars  paid  in  on 
shares  of  stock  to  be  entitled  to  a  vote.  All  shareholders, 
who  may  reside  any  where  in  the  United  States,  should  have 
privileges  in  attending  exhibitions,  etc.,  in  proportion  to  the 
amount  actually  paid  in,  to  be  determined  equitably  by  the 
president  and  board  of  control,  but  in  no  case  should  any 
dividend  of  income  or  stock  be  made,  but  be  expended  in  the 
enlargement  and  promotion  of  the  institution  and  its  objects. 
The  charter  should  allow  of  holding  a  lot  or  lots  in  the  city, 
equal  in  all  to  four  hundred  feet  square,  with  all  necessary 
halls,  exhibition-rooms,  lecture  and  school-rooms,  artists'  club- 


9 


rooms,  rooms  for  sculptures,  bass-reliefs,  paintings,  engravings, 
draftsmen,  etc.  etc.,  either  to  rent  to  the  artists  for  private 
rooms  for  business,  or  used  by  them,  as  stated,  for  all  their 
public  purposes ;  any  rooms  in  such  buildings  not  needed,  as 
above  stated,  might  be  rented  for  any  other  purpose  for 
which  they  might  be  best  suited. 

The  shareholders  should  elect  sixty  trustees  by  ticket,  viz  : 
twenty  to  serve  three  years,  twenty  to  serve  two  years,  and 
twenty  to  serve  one  year,  after  which,  they  should  annually  elect 
twenty  to  serve  three  years,  and  fill  all  vacancies  by  death  or 
otherwise.  The  sixty  trustees,  so  elected,  should  meet  once  a 
year,  and  oftener  if  necessary ;  they  should  elect  a  chairman  and 
secretary  at  each  meeting,  to  preside  and  keep  all  necessary 
records;  also  a  treasurer,  to  be  elected  once  in  two  years, 
and  oftener  if  necessary;  they  should  also  elect  annually, 
five  managers  of  the  real  estate,  income,  and  all  other  mat- 
ters relating  to  the  buildings,  repairing,  renting  and  receiving 
rents,  and  all  other  kinds  of  dues,  interest,  payment  of  stock, 
and  every  kind  of  income  belonging  to  the  institution,  and  to 
see  that  it  is  paid  immediately  into  the  treasury ;  they  are 
to  have  power  to  draw  orders  upon  the  treasury  for  such  sums 
as  they  may  deem  necessary  for  building  and  repairing,  but 
for  nothing  else,  and  all  such  expenditures  over  five  thousand 
dollars,  or  for  all  new  buildings,  the  planning,  arranging  and 
amount  of  cost  to  be  regulated  by  these  managers,  jointly 
with  the  board  of  control  and  arrangement,  which  shall  consist 
of  twelve  persons,  to  be  also  elected  by  the  trustees  for  two 
years,  half  of  whom  to  retire  from  office  annually  ;  they  should 
be  elected  from  any  of  the  shareholders,  whether  trustees  or 
not,  but  they  are  in  all  cases  to  be  elected  for  their  knowledge, 
taste  and  experience  in  relation  to  selecting,  purchasing,  or 
any  way  procuring  and  arranging  in  rooms,  etc.  etc.,  all  kinds 
of  property,  which  the  halls,  library  and  all  other  parts  of 
the  building,  are  intended  to  contain,  as  the  property  of  the 
institution.  This  board,  besides  a  joint  voice  in  relation  to 
buildings,  as  above  provided,  and  large  expenditures,  shall  also 

2 


10 


elect  a  president,  two  vice  presidents,  a  foreign  and  a  home 
corresponding  secretary,  and  a  secretary  to  their  own  board  ; 
also  a  librarian  and  his  assistants,  with  such  keepers,  etc.,  as 
shall  be  by  them  deemed  necessary  and  proper,  all  of  whom 
to  be  appointed  from  any  of  the  shareholders,  whether  in 
other  offices  or  not ;  and  further,  all  the  necessary  profes- 
sors, lecturers  or  teachers  for  such  schools  or  lectures  as 
they  shall  from  time  to  time  see  fit  to  establish,  institute  and 
continue  for  a  limited  or  regular  term  of  time,  and  to  do  and 
cause  to  be  done  under  their  organized  form  of  president  and 
board  of  control,  (the  twelve  only  voting  who  were  chosen 
by  the  trustees,  and  the  president  when  not  of  that  number, 
in  case  of  a  tie,)  all  other  necessary  business  relating  to  the 
institution,  not  otherwise  herein  provided  for,  and  to  draw 
orders  on  the  treasurer  to  pay  all  such  necessary  expenses, 
purchases,  etc.  etc.,  which  they  may  see  fit  to  incur,  in  accor- 
dance with  their  duties  herein  specified  or  authorized,  to  the 
extent  of  the  means. 

The  president  and  board  of  control  should  also  have  all  the 
necessary  halls,  exhibition-rooms,  school-rooms,  and  other 
apartments,  suitably  erected,  fitted  up,  and  every  way  prepared 
for  the  accommodation  of  the  academy,  which  should  be 
provided  for  on  such  terms  and  upon  such  principles  of  mutual 
accommodation,  as  would  best  promote  the  prosperity  and  dig- 
nity of  the  arts,  and  do  justice  to  each  institution,  by  the 
accommodation  of  the  members  of  each  in  every  respect,  — 
which  halls  and  the  lecture-rooms  are  to  be  occupied  by  the 
lecturers  of  each  institution,  in  such  manner  as  to  accommo- 
date the  members  of  each,  and  the  public,  in  a  suitable  and 
convenient  manner ;  to  be  regulated  by  the  mutual  consulta- 
tion of  the  president  and  board  of  the  institution,  and  the  pre- 
sident and  academicians  of  the  academy.  The  exhibition  and 
public  rooms  of  each  institution  should  also  in  like  manner  be 
open  for  use,  under  suitable  regulations,  of  the  members  of 
both  institutions,  in  the  best  and  most  convenient  manner,  and 
upon  the  most  equitable  and  liberal  principles. 


11 


The  property  or  collection  of  the  institution  to  consist  of 
sculptures,  bass-reliefs,  and  paintings,  ancient  and  modern ; 
an  extensive  library  of  books  relating  to  the  fine  arts,  books 
of  engravings,  and  engravings  of  history  and  mythology, 
portraits,  etc.;  coins  and  medals,  ancient  and  modern ;  mo- 
dels of  architecture,  ancient  and  modern;  drawings  of  all 
kinds  ;  specimens  and  relics  of  antiquity  of  all  kinds,  such  as 
vases,  candelabra,  ancient  armour,  etc.;  specimens  and  ob- 
jects of  natural  history ;  also,  curious  specimens  of  the  me- 
chanic's and  manufacturer's  arts ;  models  of  curious  and 
useful  inventions  and  improvements,  especially  such  articles  of 
improvements  as  relate  to  the  fine  arts,  either  directly  or  more 
remotely;  —  all  of  which  to  be  obtained  from  time  to  time  by 
the  president  and  board  of  control,  and  arranged  by  them  in 
the  several  buildings  constructed  and  fitted  up  for  the  pur- 
pose: they  should  also  regulate  the  times  and  terms  of  ad- 
mission, and  every  other  necessary  preparation  and  duty  re- 
lating to  all  parts  of  this  kind  of  property:  premiums  should 
also  be  awarded  annually,  by  both  institutions,  for  designs* 
sculpture,  models,  paintings,  engravings,  etc. 

A  branch  of  the  academy  should  also  consist  of  instructions 
for,  and  encouragement  in,  water-colour  drawings,  and  an 
exhibition  room  should  be  appropriated  to  this  branch  exclu- 
sively. The  annual  exhibition  in  London  of  water-colours 
is  truly  a  splendid  one,  and  is  beginning  to  attract  that  notice 
and  attention,  by  purchasers  and  otherwise,  which  this  im- 
portant subject  is  entitled  to ;  and  it  is  a  branch  of  the  fine 
arts  in  which  females  can  easily  and  most  successfully  enter 
into  competition  with  the  males,  and  the  advantages  to  the  arts 
and  trades  of  our  country,  as  well  as  in  the  diffusion  of  a  general 
taste  for  the  arts  of  design  and  imitation,  would  be  immense, 
as  the  cheapness  of  this  mode  will  enable  many  more  persons 
to  possess  good  paintings  executed  in  this  beautiful  manner. 
Another  great  advantage  in  one  or  two  such  extensive  insti- 
tutions in  our  country  at  proper  points  would  be,  that  the 
members  or  artists  might  live  any  where  in  the  country,  and 
yet  have  great  advantages  from  them,  by  going  there  once,  or 


12 


occasionally,  to  study  and  attend  the  lectures,  as  medical  and 
other  students  now  do  in  the  other  professions ;  thus  the  ad- 
vantages would  reach  the  extremes  of  the  United  States. 

Branch  institutions  might  be  connected  and  established 
in  other  cities  and  villages,  the  president  of  which,  at  least, 
might  attend  the  principal  institution,  and  carry  home  much 
knowledge  and  experience  in  regard  to  the  good  manage- 
ment, etc.,  of  the  arts  in  his  own  section  of  country. 

Regular  annual  conventions  should  most  certainly  be  held, 
and  persons  of  knowledge,  taste,  and  experience,  in  matters 
relating  to  the  fine  arts,  should  be  sent  to  the  large  institu- 
tion, either  by  other  similar  institutions,  or  such  clubs  or  little 
associations  of  connoisseurs,  amateurs,  and  artists,  as  might 
exist,  or  hereafter  be  formed  in  consequence  of  the  induce- 
ments and  advantages  held  out  by  such  a  system. 

The  advantages  of  such  conventions,  annually,  would  be  very 
great,  and  the  effect  to  raise  the  standard  of  our  knowledge  and 
standing  in  these  arts,  truly  important.  The  principal  mode 
to  be  used  in  accomplishing  all  the  above  objects,  is  simple 
and  easy:  it  is  merely  this:  —  The  subject  must  be  talked 
of  by  persons  of  influence,  pamphlets  and  newspaper  essays 
must  be  written,  public  meetings,  clubs  and  conversations 
must  be  held,  and,  after  the  subject  is  fully  known  and 
understood,  and  a  sufficient  number  of  persons  and  artists  of 
influence  have  embarked  in  the  cause,  and  a  plan  similar  in 
substance  to  the  above  is  well  matured,  on  the  broad  basis 
of  liberality  and  general  accommodation  ;  when  this  course 
shall  have  been  pursued,  I  have  no  doubt,  indeed  I  know,  that 
in  Philadelphia  or  New-York,  an  institution  might  be  formed 
in  the  course  of  five  to  ten  years,  that  would  be  worth  mil- 
lions to  our  country  in  its  influence;  that  would  astonish  the 
world  ;  it  might  be  one  that  would  do  honour  to  London  or 
Paris!  There  is  no  scarcity  of  materials  for  such  collections, 
and  many  parts  of  Europe  can  supply  thousands  of  such  ar- 
ticles <>f  vettu,  many  of  which  are  among  the  best  of  the  kind 
in  the  world. 

One  more  appendage  I  will  add  to  complete  the  whole 


L3 


scheme,  and  it  is  one  which  peculiarly  suits  the  genius  of  our 
country,  and  stimulates  all  its  citizens  to  action,  as  well  as  to 
give  their  attention  promptly  to  a  subject.  I  would  ask  of 
the  State  the  charter  for  a  bank,  to  be  denominated  the 
Artists1  and  Mechanics'  Bank;  all  the  stockholders  of  which 
to  be  members  of  the  academy  or  institution ;  no  person  to 
subscribe  to  the  stock  more  than  two  thousand  dollars,  until 
the  books  had  been  kept  open  to  artists,  mechanics,  etc.,  for 
sixty  days ;  no  person  ever  to  be  entitled  to  hold  any  stock 
without  being  an  academician  or  a  shareholder  in  the  institu- 
tion;  the  bank  to  have  a  capital  of  $1,000,000,  with  liberty 
to  increase  it  to  83,000,000 ;  its  stock  to  pay  no  tax  to  the 
State,  but  to  be  required  annually  to  pay  one  per  ct.  on  its 
capital  into  the  treasury  of  the  institution  for  the  increase  of 
their  works  of  art,  and  to  enable  them  to  offer  premiums  for 
the  best  performances  annually  of  living  artists  of  all  kinds ; 
otherwise  the  bank  to  be  every  way  a  distinct  corporation 
from  both  the  others,  only  having  its  stock  owned,  and  at  all 
times  held,  exclusively  by  members  and  shareholders  in  the 
institutions  before  stated.  Thus  these  institutions  might  be 
raised  from  the  extreme  depths  of  poverty  and  beggary,  and 
thus  they  would  become  objects  respectable  in  themselves, 
and  claiming,  and  even  demanding,  that  respect,  that  atten- 
tion, and  that  admiration,  which  one  of  the  most  important, 
useful  and  splendid  applications  of  the  human  mind  and  its 
faculties  is  capable  of  achieving. 


